Home Fires Season 2 Set for April DVD/BD Release

PBS Distribution announced today it is releasing “MASTERPIECE: HOME FIRES SEASON 2” on DVD and Blu-ray April 18, 2017. The moving drama hailed as “irresistible" by The Wall Street Journal returns for a final season. Home Fires follows the story of a group of inspirational women in an English village during World War II. As the conflict takes hold and the separation from their husbands, fathers, sons and brothers becomes more painful, the women rely on one another and the friendships forged through village life. Samantha Bond (Downton Abbey) and Francesca Annis (Reckless) head the extraordinary cast.

 “HOME FIRES: SEASON 2” will be available on DVD and Blu-ray April 18, 2017. The run time of this program is approximately 360 minutes on 2 discs. The DVD SRP is $39.99 and the Blu-ray SRP is $49.99. The program will also be available for digital download.

 Episode descriptions are listed below.

 Episode One

It’s June 1940, and Britain faces the threat of imminent invasion. Pat strikes up a friendship with a Czech soldier stationed nearby. Laura is forced to face the consequences of her affair, whilst Spencer and Claire’s relationship takes an unexpected turn. Sarah receives some shocking news about Adam, but her sorrow is overshadowed by a tragedy for Frances. Meanwhile, Alison strikes a bargain with the police.
Episode Two

Laura’s disgrace becomes public. The attraction between Pat and Marek continues to grow, but the risk of acting on their feelings is huge. Stan returns home on leave, but the family reunion is soured by his overriding concern about invasion. At the reading of the will, Frances discovers that Peter was keeping an enormous secret from her, but the surprise return of one particular villager offers her some unexpected comfort.

 Episode Three

As the Battle of Britain intensifies, the women must do all they can to keep spirits high. Joyce gives Sarah some unwelcome advice. The stakes are raised for Pat when someone discovers her relationship with Marek. Frances learns that there is much more to Peter’s affair than she realized. Steph is increasingly concerned by Stan’s behavior on the farm. The Brindsleys receive some wonderful news.

Episode Four

Teresa is asked on a date, but can she throw off her old life so easily? Alison worries that her involvement with the Lyons could have dangerous consequences. The Brindsleys’ happiness is marred by a disturbing discovery. Meanwhile, there’s joyful news in the Campbell house, and Joyce unexpectedly joins forces with Erica to organize a first aid meeting for the village.

Episode Five

It’s harvest time, but time is running out to meet the quota required, and Steph risks losing the farm. Sarah finds herself in a dangerous situation, whilst Teresa has a big decision to make. Alison discovers the real reason behind the parachute accidents – but can she warn Frances before it’s too late?

Episode Six

There’s cause for joy in the village as everyone prepares for a wedding. In the face of Marek’s impending departure, Pat has a big decision to make, but Bob has one last trick up his sleeve to thwart her plans. Frances fights to clear her name, and Alison continues to wrestle with her conscience. Even as the allies cheer for victory in the Battle of Britain, there’s one more twist of fate in store for the citizens of Great Paxford.
“HOME FIRES: SEASON 2” is a co-production of ITV Studios and MASTERPIECE. The creator is Simon Block. The writers are Simon Block and Glen Laker. The executive producers are Simon Block, Francis Hopkinson and Catherine Oldfield and Rebecca Eaton for MASTERPIECE. The producer is Louise Sutton. The directors are Robert Quinn and John Hayes.

Faith Evans And The Notorious B.I.G. "The King & I" Available May 19

Faith Evans and The Notorious B.I.G. famously met at a photo shoot in 1994 and were married nine days later. What followed would become one of the most legendary love stories in hip-hop history.

Evans has now, 20 years after B.I.G.’s still unsolved murder, created THE KING & I, a new album that tells the story of their life together. The album’s 25 tracks feature newly recorded vocals by Evans melded with vocals by Biggie Smalls, some well-known but also a selection of rare and unheard rhymes from the B.I.G. vault. THE KING & I also includes an impressive list of guest appearances by rap royalty including Busta Rhymes, Jadakiss, Lil’ Cease, Lil’ Kim, Sheek Louch, Styles P, and Snoop Dogg. Evans has also brought on some of the most acclaimed producers in hip-hop, many of which produced some of B.I.G.’s most famous tracks, including DJ Premier, Just Blaze, Salaam Remi, Stevie J, and Chucky Thompson.

“I remember telling Ms. Wallace years ago that one day it would be really dope if I could do something similar to Natalie & Nat King Cole’s Unforgettable,” says Evans. “Knowing the love that B.I.G. had for Tyanna & Ceejay, I feel it's my duty to uphold & extend his legacy, especially his musical contributions. This project is my creative reflection of the love we had & the bond we will always have. I'm elated to share this musical journey with our fans!”

Gary Clark, Jr Reveals Live North America 2016 CD Release

Gary Clark Jr. will release a new live album on March 17th via Warner Bros. Records. Live North

America 2016, his second live album, is available for pre-order now. Back when music was only available on a vinyl album, the pure excitement captured on a live album was considered the ultimate document coveted by hardcore music fans. Clark continues this tradition by bringing the live album to a younger generation of music fans. Live North America 2016 was recorded absolutely live, with no overdubs. What you hear is how it went down. 

The album includes all new and unreleased live recordings from Gary Clark Jr’s 2016 tour in support of his internationally acclaimed 2015 album The Story of Sonny Boy Slim. It features several songs from that album, including “The Healing,” “Grinder,” “Our Love,” “Cold-Blooded,” and “Shake,” featuring Leon Bridges and his saxophonist Jeff Dazey. The set is characterized by raw soul and funk, classic solo and blues performances, and several lengthy, tour de force guitar jams. It includes two previously unreleased covers, Jimmy Reed’s “Honest I Do” and Elmore James’ “My Baby’s Gone” as well as “You Saved Me” and “When My Train Pulls In” — fan favorites from Clark’s Warner Bros. Records critically praised debut Blak and Blu.

Clark’s incendiary performances were also beautifully captured on Gary Clark Jr. Live, which was released in September 2014 and met with tremendous critical and commercial acclaim. Both live albums chronicle Clark’s evolution on stage as his songs expand and find new life beyond the studio recordings. Much like the great blues, jazz, and soul legends of past, these recordings are lightening in a bottle — historical moments in time for an artist who is ever-morphing and one of the truly great improvisers of his generation and our time.

The release of Live North America 2016 coincides with Clark’s appearances as a special guest at Eric Clapton’s upcoming 50th anniversary shows at Madison Square Garden in New York City on March 19th and 20th and at The Forum in Los Angeles on March 25th.







Eric Clapton says of Clark, “Gary Clark Jr is incredibly inspiring to me because he does what I'd like to do onstage without any effort at all.”







The track-listing for Gary Clark Jr. Live North America 2016 is as follows:







Grinder



The Healing



Our Love



Cold Blooded



When My Train Pulls In



Down To Ride



You Saved Me



Shake (feat. Leon Bridges w/ Jeff Dazey)



Church I am



Honest I Do



My Baby’s Gone



Numb

SIMON KIRKE of BAD COMPANY Releases New Album, All Because of You, Out Now!

The End Records and BMG are pleased to release Simon Kirke’s studio album All Because Of You, out now (as of Febr 10) in North America. The full album premiered recently with Ultimate Classic Rock! Listen to the title track, below.

Simon Kirke recorded All Because Of You , his third solo album, with The Empty Pockets over the course of four studio sessions at Chicago, IL’s The Empty Pockets Studios. With Simon Kirke on lead vocals, drums, guitar, keyboards, and ukulele, his cohesion with The Empty Pockets (Josh Solomon, Erika Brett, Nate Bellon, Danny Rosenthal) would make you think they’ve been recording together for years.

Says Simon Kirke, “I finally got a chance to record some of my best songs with a superb band - The Empty Pockets. This CD has become one of the highlights of my career."

Fans of Bad Company will note that Track 3 on All Because Of You is a ukulele version of the 1975 Bad Company classic “Feel Like Making Love" (named the 78th Best Hard Rock Song Of All Time by VH1!). The album also features guitarist Warren Haynes (ex-Allman Brothers, Gov't Mule), who guest stars on Track 10, “Trouble Road.”

To accompany the release, Kirke is hitting the road with The Empty Pockets, March 15 - April 1. In addition, he performed recently with Bad Company show at the Vine Theater in Waterloo, NY. Tickets are on sale now, with more dates to be announced!

Simon Kirke All Because Of You U.S. Dates

03/15 - Kent Stage; Kent, OH
03/16 - Arcada Theatre; St. Charles, IL
03/19 - Shank Hall; Milwaukee, WI
03/30 - StageOne; Fairfield, CT
04/01 - Tupelo Music Hall; Londonderry, NH

NPR Puts Brantley Gilbert's New "DEVIL..." Album on The Record

Brantley Gilbert, with his tattoos and motorcycles  may not seem like an NPR natural, but with his The Devil Don’t Sleep, NPR contributor Jewly Hight goes deep on this week’s Top 200 Albums #1 seller. Juxtaposing the Jefferson, Georgia songwriter’s authenticity with the larger realm of BroCountry, she arrives at intriguing conclusions as she considers an album that is unrepentantly consistent with Gilbert’s back-to-back platinum Halfway To Heaven and the 2014 American Music Awards Favorite Country Album Just As I Am.

new release,

Writing of the current single “The Weekend,” she opines, “the thing that really makes the song, and much of Gilbert's music, feel as pugnacious as it does is the way that he sings… he uses it to accentuate the extremes of his performing persona, channeling stubborn small town resilience through his clenched drawl, airing aggression through his strenuous, sandpapered rasp and hinting at pent-up ferocity with surly, monosyllabic spoken asides. His performances are instantly recognizable, often confrontational and pack a punch.”

“All I’ve ever done (with my songwriting) is write my life,” says the man who penned Jason Aldean’s “Dirt Road Anthem,” nominated for CMA Song and Single of the Year. “All these songs are pages from life, and the albums are chapters. What she – or anyone hears – is what I’ve lived in the time in between.”

Richie Furay Band Announces 2 disc set release, ALIVE

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, founding member of The Buffalo Springfield, Poco, and The Souther,

Hillman & Furay Band, the legendary Richie Furay delivers the goods in a big way with his first ever live retrospective album entitled “Alive”, releasing March 3, 2017 via Friday Music/Red.

 

This fine concert recording features the prolific songwriter/vocalists finest moments with music covering his four decades of hit albums and classic songs like Buffalo Springfield’s “Kind Woman” “Nowadays Clancy” “Go And Say Goodbye”, plus Poco standards “A Good Feeling To Know” “Pickin’ Up The Pieces”, as well as SHF hits like “Fallin’ In Love.”

 

He also covers his later years, including stunning music from his critically acclaimed albums on Asylum and Friday Music. As an added  bonus, Richie has also included unseen photos and several studio bonus tracks.

Tedeschi Trucks Band Preps "Live From the Fox Oakland" Video, Album Release

On March 17th, 2017 Tedeschi Trucks Band will release their second live album and first ever 'Live From The Fox Oakland' on Fantasy Records. Led by the husband-and-wife duo of guitar master Derek Trucks and singer-guitarist Susan Tedeschi, the 12-piece ensemble's breathtaking live show is captured here over 15 blistering tracks. The film also features extensive behind the scenes footage, including Derek's recent visit to Marc Maron's garage for the WTF! Podcast (http://bit.ly/2jDCZAN), and an interview with Derek and Susan conducted by Rolling Stone critic David Fricke for SiriusXM Satellite Radio.

concert film,

Filmed and recorded in a single night, September 9th, 2016, at Oakland, CA's gorgeous Fox Theater, the concert film and audio were mixed using a vintage Neve console to achieve an exquisitely immersive sound experience, and mastering guru Bob Ludwig added his craft to the full 5.1 surround sound mix and album audio. The film was produced and directed by Jesse Lauter (Bob Dylan In The 80s: Volume One) and Grant James (Father John Misty) with Trucks continuing in his role as producer on all music elements. 'Live From The Fox Oakland' will be released in multiple formats including vinyl, DVD and Blu-ray. The collection includes cuts from Tedeschi Trucks Band's 2016 album 'Let Me Get By' as well as TTB's own interpretations of Leonard Cohen's "Bird on the Wire" and Bobby "Blue" Bland's "I Pity the Fool," two songs which feature the full range and power of Tedeschi's vocals. On Derek and the Dominos' "Keep On Growing" it's Trucks' guitar work that grabs the spotlight for a stunning extended solo. Watch the full 10-minute powerhouse performance here, below. In another memorable segment, sarod master Alam Khan joins TTB onstage for the first time on their original song "These Walls." This genre-defying moment reveals TTB's classical Indian influences and proves the 12-piece ensemble can drop their sound down to a whisper when it serves the song.

A Monstar Calls, in April on DVD/BD

A visually spectacular and stunningly emotional drama bursts forth when a boy meets a monster who helps him face the future in A Monster Calls.  Directed by award-winning filmmaker J.A. Bayona

12-year-old Conor O'Malley (played by MacDougall) yearns for guidance after his beloved mother (Jones) becomes ill and he moves in with his less-than-sympathetic grandmother (Weaver). He unexpectedly summons a 40-foot-high colossus of a creature, the Monster (voiced and performed by Neeson), who becomes a most unlikely ally by guiding him on a journey of courage, faith, and truth that powerfully fuses imagination and reality.

(The Impossible, The Orphanage), the movie is based on the award-winning novel by Patrick Ness, who wrote the screenplay adaptation. The thrilling and magical tale comes to Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand on April 25, 2017 (delayed for public library's due to Uni's holdback policy) from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. A Monster Calls stars Academy Award nominees Sigourney Weaver (Avatar), Felicity Jones (Rouge One: A Star Wars Story), and Liam Neeson (Taken) alongside young actor Lewis MacDougall (Pan). Focus Features' A Monster Calls on Blu-ray and  DVD comes packed with exclusive bonus content including a special behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film and the wondrous transformation of an unforgettable story from book to screen.

American Library Association (ALA) Video Round Table Notable Videos List

The American Library Association (ALA) Video Round Table Notable Videos for Adults Committee has compiled its 2017 list of Notable Videos for Adults, a list of 15 outstanding films released on video within the past two years and suitable for all libraries serving adults. Its purpose is to call attention to recent video releases that make a significant contribution to the world of video. The list is compiled for use by librarians and the general adult populace.

The Notable Videos for Adults Committee selected these outstanding titles from among 67 nominees for this year’s list of Notable Videos for Adults. The availability of closed captions (CC) and/or subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing (SDH) is preferred; inclusion and exclusion of the same is indicated below.


Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution

(2016) 120 minutes; Firelight Films. DVD. PBS. CC & SDH.

An historical overview of the rise and fall of a radical social movement that sought to empower African Americans and change the capitalist system.


Fire at Sea (Fuocoammare)

(2016) 114 minutes. Sternal Entertainment. DVD. Kino Lorber. Subtitles.

Desperate African and Middle Eastern refugees arrive by boat to the Italian island of Lampedusa and residents respond.

Rare Studio Sessions From Legendary DOORS Guitarist ROBBY KRIEGER Featured On A Superb New CD!

He is undoubtedly one of the boldest rock guitarists of all-time, a pioneering songwriter who fused classic blues with California psychedelia to create some of rock music’s greatest songs including “Love Me Two Times,” “Touch Me,” “Love Her Madly” and more.

And, of course, he was a founding member of one of the most critically and commercially adored bands in history, The Doors. But in the time since his tenure with that iconic outfit, Robby Krieger has not simply rested on his laurels. Instead, he has gone on to release a series of solo albums that found Krieger and his trademark Gibson SG adventuring into the outer reaches of space rock, jazz, classical music and more! Krieger has also collaborated on several studio recordings that reinterpreted classic songs by The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Supertramp and others.

Now, a new collection of these studio sessions, including two exclusive, never-before-released mixes and a bonus live recording available on CD for the first time. In Session features an incredible roster of guest appearances including Jackson Browne, Hawkwind’s Nik Turner, Asia’s John Wetton, Styx’s Tommy Shaw, and even the Star Trek captain himself, William Shatner! Don’t miss this incredible collection available February 17 from Purple Pyramid Records.


Track List:
1. Across The Universe feat. Jackson Browne
2. Hypernova feat. Nik Turner (Inner Space Mix)
3. Empty Spaces feat. Billy Sherwood
4. Where We Belong (Prism Mix) feat. Tony Kaye
5. Don’t Leave Me Now feat. Tommy Shaw
6. Brain Damage feat. Geoff Downes
7. School feat. Rod Argent
8. Deep Down feat. William Shatner
9. Little Drummer Boy
10. All You Need Is Love feat. John Wetton
BONUS TRACK
11. Back Door Man (Live)

20th Century Women Set for March DVD/BD Release

Golden Globe winner Annette Bening (The Kids Are All Right, Being Julia) stars in the

transformative and insightful film, 20th Century Women, arriving on Blu-ray (plus Digital HD) and DVD March 28 from Lionsgate. Oscar-nominated for Best Original Screenplay and nominated for two Golden Globes (Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Actress – Musical or Comedy for Bening), 20th Century Women is a cinematic love letter to the people who raise us and the times that shape us. The true-to-life story inspired by acclaimed writer/director Mike Mills’s (Beginners) mother also stars Elle Fanning (Maleficent), Greta Gerwig (Frances Ha), Lucas Jade Zumann (Sinister 2), and Billy Crudup (Almost Famous). Theatrically released by A24 and Rotten Tomatoes Certified Fresh, the “impressive and moving” (The Playlist) celebration of family, womanhood, love, and freedom is a must-see film for all generations.

Set in 1979 Santa Barbara, 20th Century Women follows Dorothea (Bening), a determined single mother in her mid-50s who is raising her adolescent son, Jamie (Zumann), at a time brimming with cultural change. When Dorothea enlists the help of two younger women — Abbie (Gerwig), a punk artist boarding in Fields’s home; and Julie (Elle Fanning), savvy teenage neighbor. Along with William (Crudup), a bohemian handyman who rooms in Dorothea’s house, they form a makeshift family forms that inspires them for the rest of their lives.

FLEETWOOD MAC TO REISSUE TANGO IN THE NIGHT

Fleetwood Mac released the second-best selling record of its career in 1987 with Tango in the

Night, an album that's sold more than 15 million copies worldwide. It topped the album charts in Britain, peaked at #7 in America, and scored major hits everywhere with "Big Love" and "Little Lies."

Following the recent deluxe edition of Mirage, Fleetwood Mac continues to reissue its classic albums with the new TANGO IN THE NIGHT: DELUXE EDITION. The collection, timed to coincide with the album's 30th anniversary, expands on the original with a selection of rare and unreleased recordings, newly remastered sound, plus several music videos. Available on March 10 from Warner Bros. Records in three formats:

Deluxe : Three CDs, DVD and LP. Original album with remastered sound on CD and
180-gram LP, rare and unreleased recordings, 12" remixes, plus a DVD with music
videos and a high-resolution version of the album. $99.98 SRP

Expanded: Two CDs. Original album with remastered sound, plus rare and unreleased recordings. $19.98 SRP
 

Willie Nelson Premieres 13 Stellar New Songs on "God's Problem Child"

Legacy Recordings, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, will release God's Problem Child,

Willie Nelson's new studio album (and 9th for the label), on Friday, April 28.

An album of all-new recordings, God's Problem Child adds 13 new songs to the artist's repertoire, including seven recently written by Willie and Buddy Cannon, his longtime collaborator and producer. The album is Willie's first to debut all-new songs since Band of Brothers (his 4th Legacy release) reached #1 on the Billboard Country chart and #5 on the Billboard 200 in 2014.

Willie's 7th Legacy collection, Summertime: Willie Nelson Sings Gershwin is currently in the running for a Grammy Award in the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album category. The album debuted at #1 on both the Top Current Jazz chart and the Top Traditional Jazz chart following its release in February 2016. Nelson has won 11 Grammys over the course of his career.